Sweat dripping, bodies jumping, mouths screaming, hands raising, hearts racing for Jesus! It was an honor to attend this conference with over 14,000 youth that will change the campus and change the world!
My first Ignite experience happened last 2013 and that was the exact same year that I felt the Holy Spirit call me, whisper to me in my mind, as if to say “Abby, it’s about time you start giving attention to the most important thing in your life, and that is to have a personal relationship with Jesus.”, and Ignite served as an eye opener for me. Since then, I stopped thinking of going to church as an obligation, but as a privilege to know more about God and praise His name.
But it wasn’t an easy journey for me. Romans 3:22 reminds me not to conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. But I was just starting to be exposed to the world, Lord! Can’t I at least enjoy learning what the world is offering me at the moment? Everyone seems to be talking about it these days, and I just want to know! And know, I did. But it then became my drug, my demon. Iniquity. I became a person with a messed up mind because I know I’m doing the wrong thing but I can’t seem to let go of it. I became a walking guilt and shame, and no one even noticed it.
I like to believe that the theme of Ignite 2015, that change is coming, was created to serve as my alarm clock. It’s time to arise from the self-condemnation I’ve been living in. It’s time to run back to Him because He will embrace me with his arms open wide and even clothe me with a precious robe of righteousness. It’s time to be reminded that no matter how ugly my past is, He will always, always be there to love me.
I got so emotional throughout this whole 3-day conference. From the praise and worship to the transitions to the prayers and prophecies to the sessions. When Pastor Paolo said to talk to God and tell Him about the shame I’ve been hiding from Him, when Pastor Gilbert Foliente was praying for those who felt distant with the Spirit, I couldn’t stop crying and raising my hands. I honestly thought the Holy Spirit is no longer in me but right then, I couldn’t stop syllables to babble out of my mouth.
Victory Worship’s Grace Changes Everything really struck me. There’s no sin too great, there’s no pain too real. The cross declares it is done. There’s no shame too real that His love won’t heal, forever the victory is won. It is finished.
Change is here. And it’s going to start with me. Then my campus, and then the world. I’m going to set a goal when college starts and pray that I would be able to influence my blockmates or someone in UST to attend the youth service in Victory U-Belt. One step at a time, Abby, no more running! No more pa-cute! This is your dead end. And in every dead end is a new beginning.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” - 2 Timothy 1:7
This is the Ignite 2015 Starter Pack. Loljk. This is the ID and I almost lost my tickets on the first day! How clumsy of me to misplace it while in the queue without even noticing! I only found out when the security was asking the Gen Ad people if anyone lost their tix and I checked my ID Pouch!
Together with my sister, we attended the conference with some Victory Bacoor peeps!
On the first day the staff gave us glow sticks and the dome became a huge rainbow ocean! Everyone was chanting Jesus’ name and UGH. THE. FEELS! There was a DJ and a guy leading the countdown and everyone was dancing and singing along to the songs and beats they were playing!
Campus Day is the highlight of the 2nd day where everyone wore shirts representing their campus and I’m so glad I got to represent UST already and be able to seat beside them and worship with them! I was able to meet Kuya Zed, an ECE student and Ate Arianne, a BSND student.
UST’s mascot is so cute!! When UST won the Minute To Win It game during the half-time show, it kept on posing and doesn’t want to go down the stage! It had to be dragged away from the stage and when it was about to go down, it fell. LOL.
These are the people I met during Ignite! It was a free seating in Gen Ad so I was able to sit beside students from Antipolo (7th frame, 1st Day), UST (2nd Day), Fort (1st frame, 3rd Day), and Ilagan (3rd frame, 3rd day). I also got the chance to finally meet my online friends! Jiana (in the 4th and 6th frame wearing the Harvard tee) and I met because of exo and I saw her on the 2nd & 3rd day! She’s attending in Victory Metro East so I also met her friendly and funny churchmates! I also met Ate Mitchie (buchachi.tumblr.com) for the second time! But this time, just accidentally! Nhes (5th frame) and I were former staffs in a forum way back 2012 and I’m so glad I met her! We took photos again (8th frame), this time with her best friend, Sarah, and those 2 photobombers from FEU lol.
AND AAAAAHHHHHH! I got to take selfies with Pastor Dennis Sy from Greenhills! He’s so cute huhu.
I got this message from a paper airplane that everyone made and flew around the dome before the conference starts in the last day!
They dropped them balloons during the last worship session!
This year, they were so strict with the time. They really followed the info of the duration of the conference they gave to the public, which is until 8pm. But since it’s the last day and everyone is craving for more, they extended the praise and worship and yay explosives! The last day lasted until 8:36pm. It was amazing!
Lord, mamamatay din ‘tong katawan ko. Gamitin mo na!
“Ignite 2015 ends right now but the change is for eternity.”
Photo Credits: Ignite PH
